Visiting a teen store in West Des Moines

[joshuabragg]

On a recent Saturday night, my wife and I visited Town Center in West Des Moines, Iowa and browsed through several of the stores.

Since it had been years since I had visited a teen [nofollow] store, I walked into the store and was completely surprised, appalled, and disgusted with the merchandise available. I knew they carried adult items and novelty gifts, but I had no idea the selection was so varied, so explicit, so offensive, and so readily available to anyone who entered the store.

Both my wife and I are in our 40's, don't consider ourselves "prudes" or overly conservative, and believe we have a strong sense of what is appropriate for our two teenage children.

Neither one of us could believe what was on display and available to any age shopper merely feet from the door at this one. I was sickened thinking our children, as well as every child who visits Town Center, have access to the store and the items on display.

We truly believe this type of merchandise should be limited to adult oriented stores that have strict age requirements and are closely monitored and regulated.

If you must, visit the store yourself and observe the items for sale.Please consider taking measures to help eliminate the adult items, products which promote drug usage, and the other offensive merchandise from this business.

They may be offering these items for sale and staying within the lette of the law, but responsible citizens need to take a stand, change the laws, and reduce or completely eliminate the availability of these items at public and family places such as Town Center.

http://www.boycottspencergifts.org [nofollow]

[schenderson22]

It's called "free enterprise".  It's up to a child's parent to raise them in a way to make good choices.

[Paris :)]

Coming from someone my age, I can tell you there is nothing to be afraid with us having a store like Spencer's. It's not a "teen" store per se but more like a young adult store. I've seen the kinds of things they sell in their so I know what you're talking about. Really though if your kids have good values and value themselves they aren't goin to go crazy over the store. When I go in there with friends, we like to look around at all the stuff cuz we find it interesting or funny. It gives us something to talk/laugh about in the moment and thats really it. We don't go in their itching to buy the most inappropriate things. Personally, I like the freedom i feel that I can go in there and not feel personally offended. Theyre just items that hold little value and most of us get that.